Listening to this record I’m wondering why a lot of Canadian Metalbands are so angry. Bands like Kataklysm, Strapping Young Lad and these fellows called Despised Icon are all making furious music. Music that makes you walk through windows, thrash houses, destroy pigs..you’ll know what I mean. However, all are from outstanding quality. This new record ‘the ills of modern man’ is from such an highstanding quality it directly candidates itself for my year-end list. To use some power-language: Goddamn this record rules! Combining the best elements of Burning Skies, The Red Chord, Dying Fetus and a dozen brutal death metalbands they come up with the best record in this particular genre I’ve heard this year. The record consists of 10 tracks and is full of variety. The band keeps the diversity in their songs with some melodic death metal riffs – wich will take place in your head all day - with a lot of tempo breaks and blast beats.

Unlike the latest Dying Fetus record, they don’t blast all record long. Despised Icon use midtempo parts to accentuate the heavy fast adrenaline moments. Hail this drummer. The vocals are also adding a whole new dimension to this record. Guttural vocals, screams, grunts, sing a longs, and pretty catchy. They’re definitely holding this record together and give the listener some hooks. In the song ‘ Quarantine’ the vocalists are screaming ‘No Matter What The Outcome Is’. Something special happens. Shivers, aggression… I can talk about every song, they’re all of high quality, but I won’t. My personal favourites are ‘Quarantine’ , ‘In the arms of perdition’ and ‘Fainted Blue Ornaments’ (with a brutal sing a long part) but I better recommend this to everyone who love bands like Red Chord, Black Dahlia Murder, Lamb of God and Burning Skies. Essential!